Tempe Smile DesignAppointments: (480) 829-8200

Stacy Tracy D.D.S.

Tempe Smile Design

As your child's permanent teeth grow in, Tempe area dentist Dr. Stacy Tracy can help seal out decay by applying a thin wash of resin to your child's back teeth, where most chewing occurs. Dr. Tracy stresses the importance of this treatment, as this sealant provides a protective coating that keeps bacteria from settling in the hard-to-reach crevices of your child's molars.

Would you like your smile to be a bit brighter than it is right now? We can make it happen at Tempe Smile Design, with professional tooth whitening for brighter natural looking teeth. Dr. Stacy Tracy's Tempe, AZ area office can effectively lighten your stained or discolored tooth enamel. Whiter teeth not only look great, they improve your self-confidence.

Tempe Smile Design is a trusted Tempe area dental implants practice providing natural-looking, comfortable tooth replacement. We make it our mission to use a gentle touch during the process.

We hold ourselves to the highest standards to replace missing teeth and provide you with natural-looking results. Our goal is to restore your confidence and your bright, healthy smile.

Natural-looking tooth-colored fillings are made of composite resin and fill cavities just like traditional silver amalgam fillings. Joseph Richardson, D.D.S., can match your new composite fillings to the exact color of your teeth so they are virtually invisible. Dental Care Associates, a Tucson, AZ area practice, has seen tooth-colored fillings become more popular over the years. Dr. Richardson can remove your old amalgam fillings and replace them with beautifully white, tooth-colored fillings.

Dr. Joseph Richardson is a trusted Tucson area veneers dentist. Our professional team is dedicated to providing you with quality results in a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere.

You won't have to feel embarrassed any longer by crooked, chipped or discolored teeth. With your new dental veneers, you'll be thrilled to show off your healthy teeth and beautiful smile.

We want your dental treatment to be affordable for you. We're committed to helping you maintain your life-long oral health.

Let highly regarded Tucson area teeth whitening dentist Dr. Richardson help you reclaim your smile with the best professional tooth whitening methods for you. At Dental Care Associates, our aim is to provide you with natural looking teeth so you can be proud of your smile.

It doesn't matter if your teeth are lightly stained from drinking coffee or tea, or if your tooth enamel is discolored. We'll provide you with a whiter, brighter smile.

Request an Appointment With Dental Care Associates

Mountain Dental CenterAppointments: (928) 774-5266

Jef Abramowitz D.D.S.

Mountain Dental Center

Dr. Jef Abramowitz at his Flagstaff dentistry practice is pleased to offer you a free smile analysis if you are 18 years old or older. Our friendly and professional team will make you feel comfortable and welcome.

We'll answer your questions and assess your dental needs to achieve long term oral health. Our goal is to make your visit enjoyable, and to give you the smile you deserve.

If you are looking for non-surgical treatment for bleeding gums, Flagstaff area gingivitis dentist Dr. Jef Abramowitz is here to help. There are many effective, non-invasive procedures available at Mountain Dental Center to restore healthy gums. Please call us today to schedule an appointment.

There are a variety of payment options available to our valued patients. Mountain Dental Center accepts debit cards, credit cards, checks and cash, and even offers convenient monthly payment plans for those who qualify. Call our Flagstaff area dental office today to discuss the right financial options for you.

Dental emergencies happen, and when they do simply call Flagstaff area dentist Jef Abramowitz, D.D.S.. We're fully equipped to provide you with prompt emergency care at Mountain Dental Center.

Dr. Jef Abramowitz is a trusted Flagstaff area veneers dentist. Our professional team is dedicated to providing you with quality results in a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere.

You won't have to feel embarrassed any longer by crooked, chipped or discolored teeth. With your new dental veneers, you'll be thrilled to show off your healthy teeth and beautiful smile.

Can Restorative Dentistry Treat the Dark Spaces Between My Teeth and Gums?

The appearance of your teeth is heavily impacted by the position of the surrounding gum tissue. In a normal situation, two teeth that are side by side in your mouth have contact with each other. Below this contact, the area is filled in with gum tissue in the shape of a triangle. This triangular-shaped gum tissue is called the papilla. It is not uncommon to have an empty space in the area where the papilla is supposed to be. If this occurs, the result is perceived as a black space.

What Causes the Black Spaces in My Gums and How Can Restorative Dentistry Help?

They are caused by a loss of the gum tissue itself or by the shape and/or position of the teeth. For any black space that is present, the first thing that needs to be done is to diagnose what caused it to occur. Once this is done, the restorative dentistry treatment choice can be made. The best decision will be the most conservative treatment that corrects the black space.

One of the most common causes of loss of gum tissue is due to the gum disease known as periodontitis. This gum disease acts on the supporting bone around the teeth, causing a loss of bone. This loss of bony support causes the papilla to slump and flatten, creating a black space between the teeth. The first step in treating the resulting black space in this situation is to treat the cause. Once the gum disease is under control, the black spaces can then be addressed with restorative dentistry.

To remove the black spaces, the teeth need to have restorations placed that will change the shape of the teeth and fill in this space. The type of restorative dentistry can vary depending on whether or not there are any other problems with the teeth. The simplest and most conservative restoration is composite, a tooth-colored filling material. It can be bonded directly on the tooth in the area of the black space. Since it is placed only in the affected area, the situation where this is used requires that the overall appearance of the tooth is acceptable and does not need to be changed.

If the overall appearance of the tooth needs to be altered, then a different type of restorative dentistry needs to be used. The choice is either a dental veneer or a dental crown. The choice between the two depends on both the appearance and the structural changes that need to be done. Usually, to correct a black space, both teeth on either side need to be restored. In doing this, the symmetry between the teeth will remain the same. If you restored just one tooth, you would end up with one tooth being wider than the other. The advantage of using restorative dentistry to correct black spaces is that it usually results in a shorter treatment time.

Another cause of the black space is due to the position of the teeth themselves. One example is teeth that are tilted towards each other. When this occurs, the area for your gum tissue to fill becomes too large for the amount of tissue you have. This same concept may occur with certain types of tooth shapes. In these instances, the restorative dentistry treatment of choice is to use orthodontics (braces) to align the teeth. The advantage of doing this is that the black space will disappear without having to do any restorations on the teeth.

By Greggory Kinzer, DDS, MSD

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

What's a Temporary Dental Crown?

When you decide to have crowns done, especially if they involve your front teeth, you will want to be able to give your input regarding how the final crowns will look. One way to do this is with temporary dental crowns. When your teeth are prepared for crowns, the dentist will place temporary dental crowns for you to wear while the final crowns are being made.

What Are the Main Purposes of Temporary Dental Crowns?

Temporary dental crowns eliminate any tooth sensitivity by achieving a seal around the tooth.

They also can keep your gum tissue healthy by recreating the contour of your real teeth. Keeping the gum tissue healthy is of prime importance when it comes time to place the final dental crowns. If the gum tissue is not healthy when the final crown is cemented, there may be contamination of the cement, which can result in a poor bond and/or sensitivity.

They maintain the current position of your teeth by keeping contact with the opposing teeth when you bite and by contacting the adjacent teeth. This is important because all teeth can move and even a slight amount of movement can prevent your permanent tooth crowns from fitting correctly, requiring either a lot of adjustment or having it remade.

Finally, the temporary dental crowns should act as blueprints for the final crowns. It is during this time that you can give the dentist your input regarding the position and shape of the teeth (for example, if the teeth are too long, too short, too square, etc.).

Care of Your Temporary Dental Crowns

There are some differences between temporary dental crowns and final crowns that you should be aware of. Temporary dental crowns are made of a different material, usually some sort of a plastic or acrylic. Since these materials are not as strong as your own teeth, you will have to be careful of what you eat. You should avoid hard foods such as nuts, and tough foods such as bagels or French bread.

Another difference is that temporary dental crowns are cemented on with a dental cement. The reason for this is that the cosmetic dentist will need to be able to remove the temporary dental crowns when it is time to cement the permanent ones. Since the cement is not as strong, sticky foods may cause them to come loose.

If your temporary dental crowns come off or are loose, you should call your dentist so that they can be re-cemented. It is important not to wait, as the tooth may be sensitive, it may move, or, if a long enough period of time passes, the tooth may get decay. As far as home care, your temporary dental crowns should be cleaned with a toothbrush, just like your own teeth. When flossing, though, it is important to floss towards the gums and then slide the floss out by one end rather than lifting it back up through the teeth. This will help ensure that your temporary dental crowns do not come off while flossing.

By Greggory Kinzer, DDS, MSD

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.